Seed package and seed distributor



Feb. 10, 1953 F. R. MAURER 2,628,003

sEED PACKAGE AND SEED DISTRIBUTOR Filed June 19. 1947 A TTOR/VEYS.

Patented Feb. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES @ATENT OFFICE 3 Claims. 1

'lfhe present invention relatesto seed packages and distributors and specifically to hand 'carried and operated devices adapted to dispense one or two seeds at a time.

Among the objects of the invention is a package device in the structure of which is embodied distributor means adapted to be quickly rendered operative to distribute the 'seed contained in the package.

Another object is a combined package and distributor that is economical and inexpensive to make and iill and one that will not easily get out of order or adjustment.

Still other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a package and distributor made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a suitable blank for making the outer cover.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the plunger.

Fig. 5 is also an elevation of the plunger but taken at right angles to the View of Fig. 4..

In the drawing there is shown in Fig. 3 a blank It of suitable sheet material such as heavy paper, cardboard, cellophane or the like, provided with three openings and having a reduced end IIIA.

The openings IGB are shown circular for the reception of a dowel II while the opening IBC is shown slotted and somewhat smaller than openings IIlB. However, the size and shape of opening I EC will be determined by the size and shape of the particular seed to be packaged and dispensed.

The blank Ic is preferably creased as indicated at IBD so that it may be wrapped around ller pieces or spacers I2 and IZA and suitably iixed thereto as by stapling, glueing or otherwise.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the blank I0 is wrapped around the two llers with the reduced end IIIA lying on the outside. This produces a flat package having a hopper shaped space I3 between, piece I2 being triangular and piece IZA being a narrow straight strip.

The dowel II is arranged in the openings IIIB and is su'iciently long to extend at both ends.

This member acts as a plunger or sliding element L I IC atan intermediate location. This notch I IC is adapted to cooperate vwith asuitable projection IZB on filler strip .I-2A to limit the movement of the dowel plunger and prevent its rotation,

:The spiral groovev I IB, when the device :is assembled, isv ina locationsuch that it moves past the opening mC, which tulfnnis located near -the lower end of the hopper I3. Near Athe upper end of the hopper space I3 is a iilling opening, normally covered by a short tab I3A which may be sealed or otherwise maintained closed. The spiral form of the groove IIB provides means for conducting the seed from the hopper I3 to a position opposite opening IBC which is in one of the side faces of the package.

After the package has been formed and provided with the seed filling, a rubber band I5 is passed around the package and dropped into the notch IIA in the dowel II. In order to prevent interference of the band with movement of the plunger, it is preferred to provide the blank with a notched tab I6.

When the blank IIJ is folded around the ller pieces I2 and IZA, the extreme end I'I of the reduced portion IDA will overlie the opening IUC and the tab I6 will be adjacent thereto.

Where the device is being used in its role as a package, the portion I'I prevents leakage of the contained seed. But, when it is desired to dispense the seed, the portion I1 is lifted or bent up 'to uncover the opening IUC. The operator then holds the package upright and moves the plunger I I up against the tension of band It and allows it to return to its lower position.

In moving upwardly, the inclined lower surface IID of the spiral groove acts as a cam or wedge Iand positively ejects those seeds lying on it. In this operation, a few seeds will fall into the groove IIB which has moved up beyond the opening IIIC and when the plunger returns, one or two of the seed may f-all out. And, as the dowel reaches the bottom of its stroke, more seed will drop into the groove onto the surface IID and be discharged on the upstroke.

As indicated above, the opening IIIC and the size of groove IIB will be Such as to suit the particular seed, and the amount of seed to be discharged per stroke of the plunger.

I claim:

1. A seed package consisting of container produced by wrapping an elongated blank of suitable material about a pair of relatively thin filler elements, one of which is triangular in shape and the other a narrow elongated rectangle, whereby to produce a hopper shaped seed space within said container, a doWel-like plunger extending through said container adjacent the rectangular iiller, said plunger having a spiral groove therein adjacent the lower end of said hopper and extending partly around the said dowel having its upper end open to said hopper and having at its lower end an inclined face, said dowel having also an elongated notch adjacent the upper end of said hopper, a projection on said rectangular ller piece adapted to enter said notch and thereby determine the stroke of said plunger, a discharge opening adjacent the bottom of said hopper and opening to said groove approximately at the upper end of said inclined face when said dowel is at the end of its down stroke and a resilient band extending around said package and over the upper end of said dowel.

2. A combined packet and seed dispensing container consisting of a flattened packet adapted to contain a quantity of seed, a round plunger extending lengthwise through said container, said plunger of such diameter las to fit closely between the front and back Walls of the packet and being provided near one end with a spiral groove opening at its upper end toward the seed body and at its lower end toward a side wall oi the packet and capable of receiving a small num- 4 ber of the seed, mea-ns for limiting the stroke of said plunger and a, discharge opening in a side face of said packet communicating with said groove.

3. A combined packet and seed dispensing container according to claim 2 in which are 1ncluded means for determining the length of stroke of said plunger and resilient means normally retaining said plunger at that end oi its stroke at which the groove communicates with the discharge opening.

FREDERICK R. MAURER.

REFERENCES CITED rI he following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 60,218 McConaughey Dec. 4, 1866 591,216 Griiiin Oct. 5, 1897 716,142 Swindler Dec. 16, 1902 1,190,272 Daugherty July 11, 191e` FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,209 Great Britain Jan. 27, 1913 

